CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI ■ ■ visakhapatnam l monday l february 09, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION Some of the agreements reached between India and Malaysia during PM’s visit Key pacts signed Semiconductor cooperation UPI-based digital payments Audio-visual co-production Cooperation in defence, healthcare & medicine, and tourism sectors Disaster management cooperation Dedicated Thiruvalluvar Centre at Universiti Malaya Social security for Indian workers in Malaysia Thiruvalluvar Scholarships for Malaysian nationals No compromise, and no double standards on terrorism: Modi India, Malaysia stress strategic trust, sign deals in key sectors to strengthen ties Counter terrorism J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi India’s stance on terrorism is firm and uncompromising, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday after holding wide-ranging talks with Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim. “On terrorism, our message is clear: no double standards, no compromise. In the field of security we will strengthen co, operation in counter-terrorism, intelligence sharing, and maritime security. We will expand defence cooperation,” Modi said at a joint press briefing with Ibrahim. The joint statement issued after the bilateral talks explicitly condemned cross-border terrorism, signalling both leaders’ shared commitment to tackling threats that cross national boundaries. “The two Prime Ministers unequivocally and strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism. They called for zero tolerance of terrorism and for concerted Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim in Kuala Lumpur | PTI international efforts to combat terrorism in a comprehensive and sustained manner,” said the joint statement. For India, cross-border terrorism refers to terrorism coming from Pakistan. During Modi’s two-day visit to Kuala Lumpur, a series of agreements were signed to deepen bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors including defence and security, technology and trade. , During the press briefing, Caste no barrier for successor: Bhagwat e x p r e s s ne w s s e r v i c e @ Mumbai AT RSS’ centenary programme in Mumbai, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said the organisation follows merit-based advancement without caste quotas, clarifying that while the next Sarsanghchalak must be a Hindu, caste is irrelevant. Belonging to Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes is no disqualification, nor is being a Brahmin any qualification for leading the RSS, he said. Speaking at the two-day lecture series “100 Years of Sangh Journey - New Horizons,” Bhagwat said visitors from different countries are studying RSS activities to re plicate the E x p r e s s Re a d CM to hold high-level review meet today Vijayawada: Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu will preside over a high-level review meeting with ministers and senior officials at the Secretariat on Monday. The agenda includes a detailed review of the GSDP growth rate and the implementation of Swarna Andhra Vision 2047 Ponduru Khadi set to get a `100-cr push Srikakulam: Ponduru Khadi is set for a major facelift as the Andhra Pradesh government prepares to establish a Khadi cluster at Ponduru. The project, with an estimated cost of `100 crore, aims to upgrade infra and enhance the brand value of Ponduru Khadi | P4 model for their youth. He emphasised that RSS is apolitical and not opposed to anyone, describing “Hindu” as an adjective encompassing all Indians rather than a noun. The Mumbai lecture saw a posse of Bollywood bigwigs in attendance, including Ranbir Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan, Vicky Kaushal, BJP MP Hema Malini and others. Speaking about the Sangh’s journey, Bhagwat said: “The Sangh has not emerged in competition with any other organisation.The Sangh neither seeks popularity nor power.” He said the Sangh had asked him to continue working, and that he would step down whenever it asks him to. Modi also highlighted New Delhi’s strategic trust with Kuala Lumpur. “Along with AI and digital technologies, we will further our collaboration in semiconductors, health, and food security he said. ,” Modi also interacted with leading business leaders in Malaysia. “The CEO Forum has opened up new opportunities for trade and investment. We will chart the way to economic transformation through strategic trust,” Modi added. The joint statement spelled out a detailed agenda to counter radicalisation and violent extremism, combat financing of terrorism, and prevent misuse of emerging technologies for terror purposes India’s rise on the global trade and economic front has provided new momentum for Malaysia-India cooperation Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysian Prime Minister Navy’s marine engine programme likely to get govt nod this week J a v a r i a Rana @ New Delhi The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) is likely to approve an indigenous marine engine development programme for the Indian Navy when it meets later this week, this newspaper has learnt. The proposal is expected to be taken up under the Make-I category of the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020, which provides government funding support for indigenous design and development of critical defence technologies. Sources said four prototype engines are planned, with a minimum order quantity of 40 engines envisaged initially The Navy is looking at develop. ing a marine gas turbine in the 24-28 MW power class for main propulsion systems used on large surface combatants such as destroyers and frigates. At present, the Navy’s frontline warships rely on foreign-origin gas turbine-based propulsion systems from Ukraine’s Zorya-Mashproekt and US firm General Electric. Sources said the overall programme would need `4,000-5,000 crore investment, with the government expected to cover up to 70% of prototype development cost. Annamayya, Chittoor on alert as lab report confirms bird flu E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Tirupati Authorities in Annamayya and Chittoor districts have declared a high alert after confirmed cases of bird flu (Avian Influenza) in local poultry farms. Control rooms have been set up, veterinary teams deployed, and advisories issued urging farmers and the general public not to panic. In Annamayya district, bird flu was confirmed in poultry farms at Puttavaripalle and Ammagaripalle villages of Sadum mandal, following tests at the National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Bhopal. Infected birds were culled and buried as per protocol. Veterinary teams collected fresh samples, while medical staff worked in protective suits. Movement of poultry from Sadum has been restricted, and an awareness campaign is being conducted through public address system. District Collector Nishant Kumar assured compensation to affected farmers, and emphasised coordinated action involving Police, Revenue, Panchayat Raj, Medical and Animal Husbandry departments to P4 combat bird flu.  Helpline numbers Annamayya District 7013914401, 9398262752 Chittoor District Animal Husbandry 7013119447 Collectorate Control Room 08572-242730 A heartbroken Nepal team acknowledges the Mumbai crowd after their match against England on Sunday. They lost the match by four runs | AFP | P11